Patrick Miller is a certified personal trainer at Elite Sports Club-River Glen, bringing nearly two decades of experience and a passion for helping others transform their health. From his own weight loss journey to coaching clients toward their fitness goals, Patrick has a wealth of knowledge and personal insight to share. Get to know more about his background, specialties, and advice in this trainer highlight!
Meet Patrick Miller
- Out of which Elite locations do you conduct training?
I train at Elite Sports Club-River Glen.
- How long have you been a personal trainer and how long have you worked at Elite?
- What made you want to start working as a personal trainer and/or for Elite?
I got into Personal Training after a successful run coaching Freshman Football at my alma mater in 2004. Working with the athletes on the field, and in the weight room, helped me discover my passion for coaching others.
Around this same time I had made my own health journey as I lost over 75 lbs and got into the best shape of my life (to that point). Then I applied to one of the better Personal Training programs in the nation, and the rest is history!
Almost two decades of working with clients later, I found myself making an upgrade pivot and accepted a position with Elite Sports Clubs to continue my mission to help every day people excel with health & wellness, through fitness!
- What is your favorite part about being a personal trainer?
I really love that spark when things click for a new client, and they gain confidence in their ability and can see a brighter future for themselves. I really enjoy contributing to society with my vast knowledge in the areas of exercise & nutrition! Having worked with all types of clients over a 20 year career has allowed me to deliver faster results and efficiently shorten the learning curve for those new to lifting weights.
- What areas of exercise/fitness do you consider to be your specialty?
Personally, I am a power lifter and enjoy working out to be strong, fit, and athletic. For working with clients, I am very flexible in my approach. I specialize with Strength & Conditioning, Muscle Building (hypertrophy), and Fat Loss Transformations. Having jaw-dropping client transformations over 6-12 months is really my specialty. Most of my clients for these programs train with me 2-3 times a week for 6-9 months on average. I excel with nutrition, program design, and creative problem solving.
- What has been your biggest personal struggle with health/fitness?
My biggest struggle with health/fitness has been overcoming setbacks in terms of injury. Between a few sports injuries, car accidents, and power lifting trauma, I’ve had several setbacks to my lifting career. Thankfully, this has made me resilient, taught me character, and forced me to learn rehab techniques and solutions to dealing with knee, back, and shoulder injuries. I’ve declined several surgeries but continue to rise and make come backs, time and time again.
- What has been your biggest personal accomplishment with health/fitness?
I’ve had a long career with lifting, so I’ve made many big health/fitness accomplishments. Initially, I lost over 75 lbs after college, after struggling with my weight my whole life before that. Then after tearing discs in my back, from a car accident in 2012, I declined spine fusion and built myself back up. In 2022, I took part in my first Power Lifting meet, and set personal records for both my Deadlift (365) and Bench Press (270). Later that year I tore my rotator cuff, and chose to rehab it myself without surgery or physical therapy. In 2024, I was able to return to Power Lifting and was able to bench press 255 lbs and Deadlift 405 lbs (without a belt). Both were big feats for me after major back & shoulder injuries.
- What advice do you give people who are starting a workout program for the first time or after a long absence?
The best route is to start with the basics. Foundational movement patterns are king, and there is no rush to lifting heavy or doing complex moves like Barbell Squats, Barbell Bench, or Deadlifts. Starting with appropriate training volume, (re-) mastering the mechanics and using good form with controlled reps is paramount!
You can make small adjustments to the move the needle forward each week, bit by bit. This is the way! Make friends with the 2.5 lb plates.
- What advice do you give people who are struggling to make health/fitness a priority or are getting bored/burned out?
You have to spend energy to get energy. It is truly an investment. Fitness will cost you energy/time, but it will pay dividends.
Even a 20 minute session can be impactful. Every little bit counts. It will compound over time as well.
If you are bored, try something new and fun. If you are burned out, scale back the intensity. Include more recovery work and make room in your life by creating space for yourself. A decrease in volume, intensity, and overall workout load often is the solution.
- What personal advice do you give someone who is looking to get to a healthier point in their life in general?
There a few things that are critical to getting to a healthier point for general wellness. One is strength, as it is protective and makes you resilient to injury. Another is knowing that movement is MEDICINE! A simple walk at 70-80% MHR can be a natural “drug.” It will help mood, reduce stress, and get positive hormones created in the body. Another thing to include is space and recovery. Life is busy! Most of us are overworked to some degree. Practices in yoga, foam rolling, stretching, and mediation can really help. Making time for the hot tub, sauna, or steam room can be game changers. Reduce screen time and cut distractions as often as able too. We don’t have to be multi-tasking 24/7!
Patrick Miller’s Client Testimonials
See what Patrick’s clients have to say!
- “Elite Sports has become a place I genuinely look forward to going to every day, and that’s something I never thought I’d say. I used to feel intimidated and unsure about going to the gym to workout, because I didn’t know what excersies I should be doing to achieve my goals but now, it’s where I feel confident and empowered. A big part of this transformation is thanks to Elite’s personal trainer Patrick. His guidance has had a huge impact on my strength, and overall comfort in the gym. From the very beginning, Patrick has been encouraging, providing me with the tools and knowledge I need to succeed on my fitness journey. What made me feel most at ease when starting out was that Patrick sat down with me and made a personalized attainable plan to meet my goals. The steady progress I’ve made under his guidance has not only improved my health but also boosted my confidence. Whether you’re just starting or looking to level up your fitness, I highly recommend Elite’s personal training program.”
- “After two knee surgeries in the past five months, I felt anxious about returning to fitness. Patrick quickly understood my goals and tailored our sessions to accommodate my limitations and restrictions.His experience and knowledge are evident in his approach to my workouts. With Patrick’s help, I am regaining my strength and can feel confident that I won’t reinjure myself with improper form or weights that are too heavy. Patrick offers expertise and encouragement and I highly recommend Patrick as a trainer to anyone interested in strength training.”
- “Patrick helped me realize that my goals of feeling energetic and confident aren’t very far away. There were simple steps aside from the obvious of just working out at a gym that could be taken. I can feel a difference within myself and like the path I’m heading down. It’s thanks to Travis, Patrick, and the rest of the Elite team that my family and I have an outlet for most of our needs!”
- “I am a woman in my late 60s hoping to build muscle mass and lose weight while dealing with hip and back issues. Patrick is knowledgeable and helpful in helping me get on track. His optimism is infectious I highly recommend him.”
- “I am a 70-year-old woman who started working out with Patrick Miller about 4 years ago. He has made me stronger and more stable walking. He also helped rehab me through 2 knee replacements. I am so much stronger today than I was 4 years ago.”
Have you trained with Patrick Miller? Tell us about your experience, or perhaps your own personal health & fitness story!
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